The Leadership Legacy of LEAD Academy
Over the last 20 years, LEAD Academy has continued to grow and evolve with the ever-changing needs of our students and community, but one thing remains consistent: strong leadership that pushes LAHS forward. Since LEAD Academy officially became a high school in 2010, there have only been five principals, three of whom now sit on the Executive Leadership Team for all of LEAD Public Schools.
Their paths reflect a culture where leaders can grow without leaving behind the students, families, and community they have come to know and care about. For students, that continuity means the teachers who once taught them are now the leaders shaping LEAD’s future.
LaVoe Mulgrew: Building the Foundation of LEAD Academy High School
- Principal, LEAD Academy High: 2010-2016
- Head of Schools, LEAD Public Schools: 2016-Present
When LaVoe Mulgrew joined LEAD in 2010, she came with a clear assignment: develop LEAD Academy High School in its first years. LEAD Academy was in its fourth year as a school and was preparing to welcome its first class of ninth graders, so Mulgrew came on board to be the inaugural principal of LEAD Academy High School.
During her six years as principal, she helped establish key structures of the school that remain today, including implementing Seminar classes for 9-12 grades and hiring influential staff members who remain in the LEAD network. But one thing stands out as something that gives her great pride. “Above all, leading our initial high school and watching our network build upon that foundation to expand to two additional high schools stands as my most proud achievement,” Mulgrew said.
Nic Frank: Transitioning LEAD Academy to a New Community
- Special Education and Math Teacher, LEAD Academy Middle: 2008-2010
- Director of Special Education, LEAD Academy Middle: 2010-2014
- Principal, LEAD Academy Middle: 2014-2016
- Principal, LEAD Academy High: 2016-2021
- Chief Human Resources Officer, LEAD Public Schools: 2021-2026
- Head of Schools, LEAD Public Schools: 2026-Present
Nic Frank’s journey with LEAD Public Schools began even earlier; he started as a teacher at LEAD Academy Middle School in 2008. He followed the leadership track to eventually become principal of LEAD Academy Middle in 2014 and LEAD Academy High starting in 2016.
As principal of LEAD Academy High from 2016 to 2021, Frank oversaw the school’s move from Heiman Street to its current home on First Avenue South. The transition created opportunities for enrollment growth and expanded programming for diverse learners, but the most significant impact to Frank involved families.
“Still to this day, I run into families at school events or outside of school, and they always talk about how their time at LEAD had a positive impact on their lives,” Frank said. “Some of those families no longer have students at LEAD but are still sending children, grandchildren, and others through LEAD schools. The sustained impact is what I’m most proud of.”
Tony Majors: Finding Success in the Wake of the Pandemic
- Principal, LEAD Academy High: 2021-2023
- Chief Operations Officer, LEAD Public Schools: 2023-Present
Following Frank’s time at LEAD Academy came Dr. Tony Majors. Majors retired from Metro Nashville Public Schools in 2020 and brought years of experience as a turnaround principal and assistant superintendent when he joined LEAD Public Schools. Majors became principal as schools were navigating the academic and social-emotional effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendance, motivation, and learning loss presented significant challenges, but Majors remembers a staff that leaned into the work and students and families who responded. Under his leadership, LEAD Academy met its highest attendance goals, requiring a significant drop in chronic absenteeism for students, and returned to Level 4 performance.
Majors’ connection to LEAD Academy is also deeply personal. “Having LEAD Academy housed on the Cameron Campus is special to me,” Majors reflects. “My grandmother lived one block from the school, my father attended Cameron, and my home church is next door. I have spent my entire life in that community, and have seen firsthand the good and the bad. Serving as both Principal and COO for an organization that provides a high-quality education and a supportive learning environment for students is something that I take great pride in. We provide students and families with access and opportunities that can change their future.”
That history makes moments like graduation especially meaningful. Majors has had the opportunity to hand diplomas to his own LEAD students, just as he once did for some of their parents.
Joseph Yurchak: Carrying the Work Forward
- Teacher & ELA Content Lead, LEAD Academy High: 2016-2023
- Assistant Principal Instruction, LEAD Academy High: 2023-2026
- Principal, LEAD Academy High: 2026-Present
For current principal Joseph Yurchak, LEAD Academy is not simply the next stop in a leadership career; it is a place he has spent the past decade helping shape. Yurchak joined the LEAD Academy family in 2016 as an English teacher with a passion for pushing all students to academic excellence. He went on to teach multiple courses, coach teachers, serve as an instructional leader, and become assistant principal of instruction, before stepping into the principal role in 2026.
Over those ten years, Yurchak has watched LEAD Academy evolve, while helping expand opportunities for students. As principal, he is intentionally bringing back traditions that once defined the school’s culture, including community gatherings and the tradition of seniors ringing a bell after being accepted into a high-ROI postsecondary option. His path from classroom teacher to principal not only shows his development as a leader, it also exemplifies his long-term commitment to the LEAD Academy community. .
“I’m most proud of the longevity of my time here and my commitment to the classroom,” Yurchak said. “I think there is something important about spending a significant amount of time and effort to impact a single place, especially when the mission of that place is to serve others.”
As we look forward to celebrating 20 years of LEAD Academy in 2027, we recognize the strong leadership and growth that continues to make LEAD Academy a special place in the Nashville community. As LEAD Academy has evolved, our leaders have changed roles and taken on new responsibilities, but the mission of LEAD Public Schools has remained the same: to ensure all students graduate ready for college and ready for life.
